If you are heading to grad school, there are a wide range of master’s degree scholarships available. Scholarships for masters degrees may help you go to graduate school for free. They could offset other expenses such as the cost of researching for your thesis.
Financial aid for graduate school is different than it is for an undergrad degree. Federal financial aid is available to grad students in the form of work study and loans. Pell Grants are only for undergraduates. As such, finding a master’s degree scholarship may make the most financial sense.
Unlike federal loans, graduate school scholarships are money you receive but typically don’t have to pay back. As long as you abide by the terms and conditions.
Is it hard to get Masters Degree Scholarships?
Some masters degree scholarships may be more competitive than other awards. Master degree scholarships come with their own criteria for eligibility. Getting a scholarship that helps pay for your master’s degree may require:
Desire to study a specific topic (E.g. Oncology Nursing, Architecture, Project Management, etc.)
Intention to research in a chosen area (E.g. Archaeological Research)
Demonstrated qualities (E.g. Leadership or Public Service)
Some scholarships for master’s degrees are also open to undergrads. So, you’ll be up against both sets of students who are competing for the awards.
One example is the Davis-Putter Scholarship. Scholarships from the Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund pay $15,000. The grants help students who are active in movements for social and economic justice.
You’ll also find master’s degree scholarships that may fund grad students who are women or minorities. The Holly A. Cornell Scholarship is one example. This $7,500 award is from the American Water Works Society. It goes to talented female and/or minority students. The recipient needs to be pursuing a degree and research in the field of water supply and treatment.
Another example is the Jonathon Lax Scholarship Fund for Gay Men. These tuition scholarships come in amounts of $5,000 or $10,000. They are set aside to help gay men who live in the five-county Philadelphia region obtain more education.
There are also scholarships for graduate students in specific fields of study. One example is the Frederic G. MELCHER Scholarship. Two candidates receive $7,500 each.
To apply, you need to be a student pursuing a Master’s in Library Science (MLS) degree. And plan to work in children’s librarianship.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation offers a similar type of scholarship. Their awards are $5,000. They go to grad students in communication science and disorders.
WHAT BENEFITS ARE THERE TO PURSUING MASTERS Degree SCHOLARSHIPS?
As a graduate student, getting a master’s degree scholarship may come with many benefits. For one, the money might cover tuition, books, living expenses and research.
This may free you up to focus on completing your master’s degree. Without having to take out loans or get a job to pay for your classes.
You may also reap rewards of attaining a master’s degree when you graduate. Employment in master’s-level occupations is on the rise by almost 17 percent from 2016 to 2026. That’s the fastest of any education level.
This may explain why in the 2017 to 2018 period alone, 775,000 students earned a master’s degree. Yet many students weigh the cost of pursuing a master’s degree with the cost of attaining it.
For sure, the average costs of graduate tuition and required fees has been climbing. What does graduate school cost? The National Center for Education Statistics has been tracking this data.
On average, the tuition and fees associated with pursuing a master’s degree are:
Private institution: $20,368
Public institution: $8,763
Average overall: $14,537
It is no surprise that recently, 70.4% of graduate students received some type of financial aid. Almost half of these students (43.8 %) took out loans. Take away? if you are trying to go to graduate school for free, securing a scholarship or grant may be ideal.
LIST OF MASTER’S DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS
Check out our list of scholarships for masters degrees. There are awards worth .
The personal injury attorneys at O’Connor, Acciani & Levy are proud to offer the 2023 Accountability & Morality Scholarship! Everyone, even corporations, are accountable for their actions. Every action has an effect on the people and places involved. Whether it is something as small as an individual making a ‘just’ decision or as large as environmental impact, every action has its positive and negative effects.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “it is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.” As individuals, this is easier said than done. We can control our actions and be held accountable for our mistakes. But what happens when corporations make mistakes, or a product has side effects that were unintended? Who is held accountable? Describe a time you had to be accountable for yourself or others. Consider positive or negative moments you experienced. How does your outlook and actions affect yourself and others?
Once all of the submissions have been received, the entries will be reviewed and the top five applicants will be selected to each receive a $1,000 award for their essays that describe a time when a corporation’s actions failed resulting in someone or a group of people being injured, and how the victims overcame their situation and held a specific party accountable.
The attorneys at the Williams Law Group, LLC understand firsthand the benefits a college education can provide both academically and socially. Education opens doors that might otherwise be closed, providing the ability to grow professionally and develop social bonds that may last a lifetime. That is why we are excited to offer a $1,000 scholarship to help a student pursue their educational goals.
At Williams Law Group, we have experienced the benefits of higher education, and we view academics as a way to contribute positively to society. We understand that college is less accessible to some due financial restrictions. We believe strongly in giving back to our community and do not want to see students give up on their dreams because they are unable to pay for school or supplies.
The Opportunity to Grow Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship available to students who meet the scholarship eligibility requirements below and who best describe in a 750-1,000 word essay what community means to them and how they demonstrated a commitment to both their school and larger community.
This award is for U.S. and international undergraduate and graduate students who are residents of Florida. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Click here to learn more and apply today!
The NAACP Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship honors its namesake who was a long time member from the San Francisco branch with up to 40 scholarships for graduating high school seniors, undergraduate and graduate students based on GPA and financial need.
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Scholarship For Cancer Survivors provides assistance to cancer survivors who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs. Applicants should be age 25 and under, high school seniors or current postsecondary undergraduates. Up to 25 students will receive $10,000 scholarships.
The NDAF / Dr. Bessie Delaney Scholarship of $10,000 is named in honor of Dr. Annie Elizabeth “Bessie” Delaney, who among other accomplishments, was the only Black female in her DDS graduating class in 1923 Columbia University. Only open to female applicants.
The Association on American Indian Affairs provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate Native American students who are citizens/members of their Tribal Nation. Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and attend an accredited institution.
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund partners with Apple to provide eligible outstanding students who attend a Historically Black College or University with a $15K merit based scholarship and 12 week internship opportunity.
The Safe Driving Scholarship is available to students enrolled in any high school, college, or university in the United States. High school students must be graduating seniors. Candidates who apply for this scholarship must possess a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Elevated Boston is awarding two $2,500 scholarships. This scholarship is open to high school seniors who will be entering college as a freshman, current students, transfer students, and graduate students attending a Massachusetts College or University in the fall of 2021.
